1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to individual sleeping modules or capsules and assemblies of sleeping modules in inexpensive building arrangements, both fixed and portable types.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
The prior art discloses a number of arrangements for compact sleeping accomodations, particularly as used in sleeping cars on railway trains, sleeping accomodations on buses, sleeping accomodations on airplanes, and the like.
Willson U.S. Pat. No. 2,577,836 discloses a self powered mobile vehicle, of the recreational vehicle type, having small compact sleeping accomodations in a second story.
Hoffman U.S. Pat. No. 2,900,956 discloses an arrangement of cages or kennels having individual beds extending from front to back with front openings.
Pitta U.S. Pat. No. 2,960,292 discloses individual capsules to accomodate the body of a airplane passenger. The capsules are described as providing protection for passengers in an accident or crash.
Shea U.S. Pat. No. 3,484,131 discloses an elongated trailer arranged to be pulled by a truck-tractor. The trailer has a number of doors along one side opening into individual sleeping compartments.
Burgess U.S. Pat. No. 3,694,023 discloses a motorhome or recreational vehicle having a plurality of cribs or small beds installed along opposite walls of the vehicle.
LeGrand U.S. Pat. No. 3,784,989 discloses an arrangement of multiple sleepig berths for use in vehicle. The multiple levels are contoured for economy of space and relaxation.
Harder U.S. Pat. No. 3,808,607 discloses a multiple purpose apparatus for sleeping, cooking, bathing, toilet, etc.
Hollingsworth U.S. Pat. No. 3,950,796 discloses an article of children's furniture, including two seats or beds with an enclosure therebetween.
Mutke U.S. Pat. No. 4,071,210 discloses an arrangement of multiple berths for sleeping in an aircraft. The berths provide separate cells for sleeping and are mounted on tracks for movement therein.
In addition to these patents, there is type of individual sleeping module which has been in use in Japan, but not in the United States, which is not believed to be patented or otherwise known in the prior art. The present invention consists of a series of modular units which are improvements on the modular unit presently known in Japan, both with regard to the structure of the individual units and the manner in which the individual sleeping modules are assembled for use.